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Troubleshooting Unwanted Guitar Amp Sound

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  • Troubleshooting Unwanted Guitar Amp Sound

    Hi,

    So my amp has developed this squeaking sort of sound (?) and I'm wondering if anyone here might be able to identify what it is. I believe it might be dust in the chassis components but wanting to get a second opinion before I go barking up the wrong tree.

    Link to YouTube video of the audio https://youtu.be/C07MK2gxT8A
    One Drive Link to Audio File: https://1drv.ms/v/s!ArfZ97nShOZliTBJrcUwHvprZnwz

    Thanks in advance,
    Glenn

    *Edits: added one drive link as YouTube link not working
    Last edited by Glenn Masa; 05-18-2020, 11:38 AM.

  • #2
    The video appears to be in limbo at this time. *outube instructs me to check back later.
    "Take two placebos, works twice as well." Enzo

    "Now get off my lawn with your silicooties and boom-chucka speakers and computers masquerading as amplifiers" Justin Thomas

    "If you're not interested in opinions and the experience of others, why even start a thread?
    You can't just expect consent." Helmholtz

    Comment


    • #3
      YouTube route seems to be a little slow for some reason - here's a link to the audio file https://1drv.ms/v/s!ArfZ97nShOZliTBJrcUwHvprZnwz

      Comment


      • #4
        I can hear clicks (foot switch?) and gain level changes happening. Though it doesn't seem to affect the mice. Just for clarity please:

        What model amp?

        Does it do this with nothing plugged into the front end and nothing in any sort of effects loop?

        Do any of the panel control affect the problem?
        "Take two placebos, works twice as well." Enzo

        "Now get off my lawn with your silicooties and boom-chucka speakers and computers masquerading as amplifiers" Justin Thomas

        "If you're not interested in opinions and the experience of others, why even start a thread?
        You can't just expect consent." Helmholtz

        Comment


        • #5
          Yes, so that's me unplugging the cable from the amp.

          The model is a '64 Princeton Reverb RI.

          Yes, the clicking sound was me unplugging to illustrate. Sorry I should have explained. Nothing in the effects loop.

          That I don't know. I should also say that this sound isn't constant it does come and go but quite regularly which is a bit of a problem as I use it for recording. I'll listen again with nothing plugged in and turn each pot up to see.

          Comment


          • #6
            Okay seems to be related to the treble tone control. Turned up the others also but treble showed the most notable increase of the sound.

            Comment


            • #7
              Three suspects would be a microphonic preamp tube, failing power supply filter capacitor/s or dirty contacts. Try a different preamp tube in the first and second preamp tube slots. Contacts should be cleaned with a contact cleaner like Deoxit or similar. Including tube pins and their socket holes. I don't know how old the amp is, but I know the power supply capacitors Fender uses aren't known for their long life and sometimes they seem to go funny prematurely. So if trying different tubes and cleaning doesn't do the trick you could get a known good capacitor of a similar value/voltage spec and temprarily clip it in parallel to the preamp node filter cap. If that stops the problem I would replace all the filter caps.
              "Take two placebos, works twice as well." Enzo

              "Now get off my lawn with your silicooties and boom-chucka speakers and computers masquerading as amplifiers" Justin Thomas

              "If you're not interested in opinions and the experience of others, why even start a thread?
              You can't just expect consent." Helmholtz

              Comment


              • #8
                That sounds like good old digital transmission noise to me. On top of the three things Chuck listed above, do you keep a phone or any other wireless pr electronic gadgets close to or on your amp while playing? Or even in the room...

                If it's the 64 hand-wired one, check to make sure the inputs t grid stoppers are okay. I wonder if the top of the cab is shielded, also?

                Justin
                "Wow it's red! That doesn't look like the standard Marshall red. It's more like hooker lipstick/clown nose/poodle pecker red." - Chuck H. -
                "Of course that means playing **LOUD** , best but useless solution to modern sissy snowflake players." - J.M. Fahey -
                "All I ever managed to do with that amp was... kill small rodents within a 50 yard radius of my practice building." - Tone Meister -

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                • #9
                  Thank you, I only got it around a year ago - but it has moved and moved back again. I'll start with switching tubes and I've ordered some deoxit. Think it'd be a good idea to spring clean regardless of if it's just a bad tube.

                  Hopefully it's one of the first two �� but good to know.

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                  • #10
                    Hi Justin, Not on the amp but my phone was in the room but on on my desk away from me and my guitar.

                    That it is, sorry however - what am I looking for when you say t grid stopper? The top of the cab is shielded not to say that that shielding might have been damaged somehow?

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Does changing the amp's physical location make a difference? For instance, rotating it 90 degrees (if it's facing south, turn it east). Or moving it across the room or into a different room. If it's picking up interference, you can sometimes troubleshoot - even identify the source of the EMI - by moving the amp around, using it as a detector.
                      If it still won't get loud enough, it's probably broken. - Steve Conner
                      If the thing works, stop fixing it. - Enzo
                      We need more chaos in music, in art... I'm here to make it. - Justin Thomas
                      MANY things in human experience can be easily differentiated, yet *impossible* to express as a measurement. - Juan Fahey

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